Check out this video for a detailed walkthrough of how to play Benthos - or read on below for a general overview
Benthos is a deckbuilding card game based on the science of coral reefs. As part of our research on the Global Coral Microbiome Project, which surveys the types of microbes on corals around the world, we wanted to design a game that could give the feeling of how reef ecology microbiology, and human impacts interact. Each card was designed to reflect real interactions documented by reef science. Let's check out some of the key mechanics.
Rules Walkthrough
Check out this video for a detailed walkthrough of how to play Benthos - or read on below for some of the key ideas
Competition for Space
In Benthos you take on the role of Coral or Algae competing for space and resources on the reef around a tropical Caribbean island. The game takes place in rounds, with the winner of each round determined by whether there are more coral or algae on the reef. There are only 9 spaces around the central island, so space is at a premium!
Biomass and Predation
A key feature of any ecosystem is exchange of biomass. Coral and Algae both grow by photosynthesis. This is represented using Biomass dice to track the biomass of each card. When a card grows, it increases it's biomass die (usually by 1 or 2). Creatures die when they lose all biomass, so larger creatures are tougher.
In addition to Corals and Algae, you can recruit many other reef creatures like Spiny Lobsters, Urchins, Parrotfish, Sharks and coral-eating Coralliophila snails to your deck. These creatures each have a type, like herbivorous fish or crustacean. When eating, each creature has preferred prey, shown with icons on the card. It can only eat these types of food, and can only eat less preferred food if it's the best available. When a creature eats, it deals damage equal to its biomass to its prey. This removes biomass counters equal to the predators biomass. Then it grows, gaining 1 or more biomass itself - and making it more dangerous in the next round. If a creature gets large enough, it reproduces, letting you draw an extra card.
Playing a Round
Each round, players draw 4 cards. You can use these cards to settle a card onto the reef, grow a card on the reef (maybe by having it eat another player's creature!), or recruit another card to your deck. Players take turn playing cards from their hands. When they are done, the round ends, and the players collect victory points based on whether there is more Coral or Algae around the island.
Human Influences
As the game progresses, you will gain access to Event cards. Some of these reflect powerful natural events like Hurricanes, that can damage all corals and algae on the reef. These reflect the activities of the humans on the nearby island. Many add ecological Awareness to the island, while other increase the local population or global carbon emissions leading to Global Warming. These three values are tracked using dice placed on The Island card in the middle of the reef. These change what cards can be played. For example, if you've increased Awareness you may be able to add a Coral Nursury that helps add coral onto the reef at the end of each turn. Alternatively, if Global Warming has increased, Hurricane events may do more damage when played.
Microbes
On real reefs, microorganisms play vital roles. Microbe cards provide many special effects, like photosynthetic Symbiodineaceae that increase coral's growth rate, or Vibrio that can damage reef creatures at the end of each round.
